UP govt plans overbridge near Mayawati's residence, irks BSP

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to construct an overbridge near the residence of former chief minister Mayawati's Mall Avenue locality in Lucknow which was allotted to her in the capacity of former chief minister residence.

The overbridge will also pass in front of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) office.

Taking exception to the proposal to build a railway overbridge on the road outside its party headquarters, the BSP today described the move as "politically motivated".

The proposal made in the state budget presented by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the legislative assembly today, drew sharp reactions from the BSP given that the structure, when ready, would block out from view the party's state office situated there.

Mayawati. Reuters

"The government should first worry about the traffic jam on Vikramaditya Marg before thinking about the Loreto Convent-Telibagh route (on the road facing the BSP office). "If they fail to do so it would mean they have wrong intentions for which they would have to pay a heavy price later," BSP Swami Prasad Maurya said.

"If there is really a need to ease traffic, an overbridge should first come up on Vikramaditya Marg which has the residence of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as well as the SP office," Maurya, who is also the leader of opposition, told newspersons here.

A provision of Rs 40 crore has been made in the budget for the overbridge on the road facing the grand BSP office which is close to where former CM Mayawati has her official bungalow on 13 Mall Avenue.